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January 30, 2008

So yesterday played out like a scene in a movie (La Bamba- Almost Famous...) where your delayed plane may never leave the ground and the wind conditions are too bad to risk landing. When the pilot informed us that it may not be possible to land in Columbus Ohio, due to the 40 mile per hour winds, I took his knowledge to heart.

Cut to me- in a tiny tiny propeller plane in my own single seat row- withstanding insane turbulence and shaking white knuckles. The woman seated near me got sick, the babies on the plane crying. An amusement park ride to end all rides. Then we seemed to fall from the sky and teeter back and forth before barely landing straight on the runway below coated in rain.

Ahhh, to be back in my home state OHIO.

I'm safe and cold in the 24 degree weather going to check out the gallery space for the first time.
here's the sneak peek of some new stuff

January 28, 2008

It's hard to believe anyone would venture out in the rain on a cozy Sunday night, but Mr. P has some loyal pals. It was in fact his birthday- and as he creeps closer up that hill, he needs his cohorts in crime to numb the pain. We ended up at TAIX surrounding a moist Chocolate layered dream cake from DELILAHS Bakery.

He wanted to skip the big party fanfare, and so the tiny affair was quaint. He received some good gifts, including a checklist pad that you can mark off offensive cell phone stuff- ie: tacky ringtones, banal conversation--talking way too loud, etc... and then you can hand the ticket to the offender. That gift was compliments of Mr. Scheid.

I gave him a gag gift pair of dice that you can roll and it gives you options of what to do-
like NAP TODAY
Gripe Often, you get the picture. It was really for an old man, but you know Mr. P- he's pretty close to 85 years old now.

p.s. Did I mention that Nina cut my hair yesterday and gave me bangs- -my hair will never be this straight again however.

January 27, 2008

on february 2, 2008, the mahan gallery will proudly present electric lady land, an exhibit featuring the works of kime buzzelli and liz markus. the exhibition reflects on the narrative works of both artists, posing questions about the importance of abstraction, definitive cultural standards, and hopeful utopian devices.

the portraits take an interesting perspective. both artists use the premise of nostalgia, a generation removed. since the work is contemporary and unhindered by the cultural stereotypes of the sixties, it analyzes extreme generalities used by history to flatten the decade. new questions are raised about the distinct characters that immediately unify time and ideology.

male and female figures are both represented. male forms take on lavish masks, warping the portraits into intensive expressionistic splashes. females pose and stare back toward the viewer, empowered and confident sketches, surrounded by bits of encapsulating, definitive stories.

the imagery is of course only referential to the past. made and displayed in present day america, widespread effects of the fashion, drugs, and apparent enlightenment of the sixties are again credible. citing fashion magazines, green lifestyle shifts, and modern music revivalists, it is easy to notice how histories run parallel to one another.

originally from columbus, oh, artist kime buzzelli, now lives and works in los angeles, ca. an artist of many trades, buzzelli's work clashes between the sunny disposition of colors and decoration, and a melancholy mood revealed in illustrated facial expressions. she attempts to narrate the existence of the contemporary woman exploring the nature of free love. the use of bright explosive colors, an appreciation of the flower child, and a shadowing of fashion illustration, leaves the viewer blushing and feeling awake in a daydream. kime's paintings and installations have been exhibited internationally. her work has been published in next by laird borrelli and vintage l.a. buzzelli's illustrations have been featured in lula, bust, paper, w, front desk, juxtapoz, and bpm. buzzelli's clothing has been featured in elle, venus, jalouse, w, apparel news, wwd, and visionaire. buzzelli has recently returned from showing at artbasel, miami.

liz markus "takes a pop-art approach to the tradition of color-field painting, markus finds a successful territory between the abstract and figurative. central to this group of paintings is the emergence of an "easy rider" figure from the fields of controlled color washes. a combination of motorcycle rebel and bearded hippie, this iconic figure with aviator sunglasses is used by markus to portray an overseeing spirit of freedom and to bring back the forgotten ideals of peace." (galleri loyal, 2007) markus' work has been show internationally and is apart of many private and public collections including the whitney museum in new york city. her recent exhibitions include: tyler gallery, philadelphia, galleri loyal, stockholm, ziehersmith, new york, and artbasel, miami.

please join us for the opening night reception and gallery hop,
saturday, february 2nd, 6–10pm.

the mahan gallery presents the work of contemporary artists in a variety of media, including painting, photography, and sculpture. gallery hours are tuesday–saturday, 11am–6pm and by appointment.

January 26, 2008

This morning I was asked to face paint a bunch of kids at the Echoplex for a music event they were having. Kutmah couldn't swing the early call time and bailed, so I had to wake up Viv and beg her to help me out. To be honest, I've never painted someone's face before, so I make a preliminary chart of the things I thought I could do successfully.

By the time I arrived I realized that this event wasn't for 8 year olds, this was for the lil lil lil tinies. We are talking sweet 2-5 year olds. My brushes were bigger than their features! I had to improvise a little- as kiddies this age move fast and speak soft if at all.

The chart, although ambitious, was not always effective. Like when one little girl came up and said, "I would like a sleeping moon on a puffy cloud with a sleeping cap on his head."Um- yeah that's not on the chart. So I said "Anything else?" She swiftly replied "a sunshine on this hand"I had a lot of boys request the rainbow on the cheek. Not on the chart as well. Then of course there was the girl who requested a trail of ANTS. That was a tough one.

By the way, the music show is a new gig at the Echoplex- where kids are entertained by bands and tables of crayons. Did I mention that the parents were into their bloody marys?

the above kid was wearing a rad puffy muscle Spider man suit while eating a small sandwich with the crusts cut off
here's Viv's first Butterfly girl
my first lightning bolt eye!
this little darling below is my friend Jen's daughter HARLOW. She had that name before Nicole Ritchie's baby.
the touching of the face was a common blunder at the event
this little princess asked Viv to make her look like Snow White.
here was my ANT girl with her family
This cute kid had the coolest plaid pants, he wanted to be a blue dog

Viv had this little girl with striped rainbow tights
this little girl walked up at the very end and buried her little fingers into piles of loose glitter and then looked at them like they were magic
If kids are in your future, this is what you can expect your tables to look like...
here's the original flyer for the event, I recommend parents look for future shows- it was a good time for all

January 24, 2008

Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, a.k.a. simply Valentino the designer has said adieu to the runway. Yesterday marked his last couture show in Paris at the Musée Rodinand. And at age 75 he leaves behind an impressive legacy and 45 years of fashion success.
His final show received a standing ovation from the entire audience, and many models turned up to model for his last Haute-Couture show, including Eva Herzigova, Claudia Schiffer, Nadja Auermann, Karolina Kurkova and Karen Mulder.
In his early heyday, the designer was sought out by Jacqueline Kennedy, who had spied a pal wearing one of his fab ensembles and begged to know the creator. Valentino sent a saleslady, along with a model to Jackie's place on fifth ave. She ordered some of his pieces and then later bought more of his couture pieces (mostly in black and white) to wear the year of mourning JFK. He later designed the white dress that she wore to her wedding with Onassis.

But never fear, he leaves with a bit of sass, the designer was quoted on his way out saying..."I certainly won't miss the fashion world. It's ruined! Everybody's
doing the same things. What's missing is challenge, creativity,
cheerfulness. These days it's all about numbers! To continue working in
an environment which says nothing in particular to me would be a bore,"
he sniffed. "This environment is no longer stimulating."

Valentino will be replaced by former Gucci
designer Alessandra Facchinetti as the company tries to expand. Asked
about her talent, Valentino turned generous. "I've met her," he said.
"She's pretty."

if I was Alessandra, the following breathtaking designs would induce a panic-ouch, this is a hard act to follow
check out this vintage Valentino gem!

The new couture crop of designs for Spring 2008 are awe-inspiring! From feathered lids to fluttering silk chiffon ruffles, these quirky pieces are straight out a surreal imagination
I can't wait to paint some of these feathered females. Here's the latest from Galliano-for CHRISTIAN DIOR who must have dreamt Gustav Klimt geometric patterns in his sleep. They look like 24 foot tall space glamazons adorned in Klimt deco.

check out the Klimt gilded painting that may have inspired this next piece

Christian LaCroix made some millinery floral pieces:

these next set of dreamy ones are by Anne Valerie Hash-

I LOVE the bottom of this GIVENCHY dress
and these two paper lantern like pieces...

The details of the Armani Prive collection are stunning. Check out the lovely intricate dress decorations

I have just listed a bunch of new things on my EBAY site:
Here's a sneak peek of the good goods- and some guilty pleasures
1. My lovely rare 1996 Belle and Sebastian signed poster compliments of pal Sarah

2. Mike Mills Follow follow me me poster

3. Vintage Enamel OWL pin

4. The mystery book set by MIRANDA JULY! She donated this sweet set to me for my benefit- and I'm listing them now. They are books that she loves, lovingly wrapped and signed by the artist/writer

5. Tiffany Taylor 19 inch Gold Glitter Disco DOLLY

6. Dinosaur Jr. Skateboard wheels

7. Crazy 80's leather bedazzled purse

8. Ethnic 60's Psychedelic Jacket

9. 7o's sequin silk blouse

10. Vintage costume polka dot dress

TO VIEW THESE AUCTIONS and MORE CLick on my EBAY STORE LINK to the left!

January 22, 2008

I must apologize for the time lapse in posting, I was stricken with that plague flu going around. It hit me the evening before the Flea Market debut. I knew it was coming, as all of my close friends have been deathly ill the past few weeks. In fact I think I missed getting it the first round by rarely leaving my home.

It could've been all that ladies night partying the days before? Nontheless, I have been down hard. I have been in my bed for two days delirious on cold medicine, with my cat.

I'll recap that the Flea Market has some good potential. For the first day it had a lot of buyers. I was begging for sleep, and therefore didn't make for good company. There were some good vintage dealers, as well as food vendors. I think once it catches on it could be a fun summer deal.

The best part of my day: when an adorable painter came up to me and said that she lives downtown and loves my artwork. She said she's been wanting to mail me one of her paintings and when she spotted me at the booth she went home to get the piece. She said her boyfriend said it was a little weird of her, but I thought it was super sweet, besides it's an incredible piece!! I love it. She even signed her name in the corner and wrote "for Kime". The perfect doily owl
Now, I have to send her something in return.

January 19, 2008

Located in the heart of the Uber Hot South Park District of Downtown LA. The South Park Flea Market is the creation of Phillip Dane (The Fairfax High School Flea Market). The SHOW PONY ladies are going to take some of our creations + Vintage down to sell. So come and visit us and be a part of the PARTY

Every Sunday
9 am - 4 pm

8th & Grand Parking Lot
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Downtown now has a cool place to shop, eat and hang on Sunday's. We have over 200 vendors, great deals on vintage, collectibles, new and used stuff.

JAzzy and I went down to the Berhouse gallery to see Jessie Spears new solo show. The humor and vibrant color circles were at an all time high

Yusuke checking out the show...

bills never looked so good. Jessie said she turned her student loan envelopes into a happy affair

at this point of the night...enter the bad girls

Britt and the rest of the bad girls begin behaving badly. ( Choreographed dance sequences on Echo Park Ave and speeding down the sidewalks in grocery carts til they spill into a pile of laughter on the curb.)

we ended up back at the building eating crackers and cheese at Britzys pad.

Miss Annakim Violette officially turned into a glampire, and hosted a birthday shindig down at Bordello. It was the perfect spot for her Cockette/Vampire Glam themed birthday. There are dim red lights, Tapestry high back chairs, and a stage to die for! Seriously that stage looks like a trashy flapper mermaid lair.

The ladies got all made-up and then went downtown for some dancing and divine surreal cake. Memorable moment when Annakim said "This year's cake is the best one yet, even better than the time I got the Shining Jack Nicholson cake where his face is busting between the door". (That huge unicorn party one was pretty good too) The late night seemed sort of like a blur that ended in a limo heading back to Annakim's place for gift opening and pizza.

**Check out ViVs pics, she has a better camera and is a pro shutterbug:

January 17, 2008

Looks like Miu Miu has selected another hot young starlet to promote their good loot.
The new 2008 campaign will feature the lovely Kirsten Dunst sporting luscious eye candy. The campaign was shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott in Los Angeles. A lot of debbie downers have criticized this choice, stating that they would prefer Scarlet J. or even Hayden P. What!? I think Miss Dunst has more appeal than those choices.

My pal David would agree with me & will hold her gigantic purse anyday, cause he has a crush on her.

The Show Pony Boutique is about to get a whole lot better. WHY? Well- for one we are going through a major remodel and revamp, & the guys from FAMILY and Teenage Teardrops took over the old Lucas spot. To top all that off, we may soon be carrying some of these incredible pieces:

January 16, 2008

In the past cardboard used to get a bad wrap, but artist Jessie Spears has put it back on the map. She has been making the world a more colorful place one pom pom at a time. Her first SOLO art show is this Friday down the street from me at the new gallery BERDHOUSE
If you are in or around L.A. you should come and check it out.

So, the photo has surfaced. We took it in Spain while attending a wedding, to see if we do look anything alike, like people have said. As soon as we caught a glimpse of it we laughed because we both realized it was our cheek dimples when smiling that made us look so similar.

Wow, this picture just reminds me that before Mr. P floated into my life, I had tone arms and a svelte body. How can 3.5 years of fine dining and late night cuddle snacks destroy all my years as a vegetarian toned body??

There are some styles that you can't believe ever made it into the fashion world, let alone into your closet. Next thing you know you are "pushing it" real good and rocking some insane ensemble out on the town.
These memorable fashion forward moments for me are defined by the embarrasing feeling of actually leaving your home or heading out on a lunch break and feeling your heart race with anxiety. You aren't sure if you have mastered this new trend or if it's the Emperor's New Clothes is in effect and some magazine made you do it.

I recall the 6th grade choral concert where my mom convinced me that black cord knickers with knee buttons looked grand with cream tights and gold capezio flats. If l had a dollar for every gawking stare that night I'd have a new car.

Then there was the first day I ever wore champagne parachute pants to school

the day I decided to dress like BANANARAMA and adorn my messy piled up hair with a loose turban and paintsplattered overalls that tied at the strap (think Come on Eileen, Thompson Twins for further trend checkpt)

The tight long johns under a tennis skirt and pink converse high tops.

The shoulder pad ESPRIT silk blue p.j. top that I begged my mother for that matched stirrup pants.

The DEEE-lite groove is in the heart 90's Contempo daisy embroidered lace up flared jumpsuit.

The list goes on and on.
Here's a new tribute to the things that are so loud and crazy that they are good in a sort of fugly bad way. Sometimes a wrong can be so right...

some of these crazy 80's knit vintage pieces can be found here: http://stores.ebay.com/Mels-Shoppe-Vintage

January 14, 2008

I received this cute email with the subject : celeb look- a- like
from a doily reader:

Dear Kime,
Hello and Happy New Year! :P I hope you are doing fantastic! Okay, so everyone has their Celeb-look-alike right? Well, I recently watched the movie Stranger Than Fiction and I must say, you take a very striking resemblance to Will Ferrell's love interest Maggie Gyllenhaal. Now I don't think you two look perfectly the same but you can see the resemblance trust me. :) Hoping this made you smile and wishing you a year of more moldy doilies!

I've been hearing this look a like theory ever since SECRETARY came out. In fact it's almost the only look a like comparison I get. *except for the time my students compared me to Ginger Spice- yikes and Mr. Gallo compared me to Elizabeth Montgomery, and a few Kirsten Dunsts- I find the Maggie comparison highly flattering- and am honored to have been emailed this.

I have to say thanks to all of my great blogger fans who actually wrote comments recently or came out to the ROSE BOWL to support my declutter cause. Getting up at 4:30 a.m. after a night out with lady friends is not an easy feat. We rented a SANFORD and SON beat down U-haul that had a combo SOPRANOS advertisement with graffitti. My toes were frozen til about 11 a.m. But on the plus side, the weather in L.A. later reached a nice 80 degrees and folks were in a buying mood.

I lucked out and had the sweet spot corner over the bridge on the vintage side. The timeless beauty Marisa Tomei came by our booth, she looked even better in person.

I was excited that this cute girl with headband scored my favorite gypsy glitter gown

Emma & her pal came by to liven up our booth, as per our tradition! They had maximum cuteness

we were stalking this rad Japanese family because they were so cute! The mom and dad were so fashionable and their kid was running around the booths in her embroidered hippie dress

annakim in wonderland

perhaps the best fashion statement of the day? This lil one who said" do you wanna see them closed?

or OPEN!?"

this picture is my absolute proof that I have come a long way from my hoarding days. Had I seen this emerald bedazzled 20's costume in the past, I would have found a way to take it home. Instead the new me simply snapped a pic of it and let it sway in the shade.

Here's some of the goods from my stash that didn't sell- FEEL FREE to Contact me to make them yours

1. The kinky couple statue (do not ask how or where this 60's joy of sex statue came into my life)
asking $20 bucks for them

2. the big eyed painting from my dressing room. Have had this baby since the early 90's! make me any offer

3. the psychedelic mannequin- she needs some love- has no arms $20

4. pale pink flapper dress with loads of fringe- has some seam flaws- but orig from an old Paramount Movie house $40

5. 70's repro PICASSO needlepoint picture Make me an offer?

6. Piles of shoes

7. The Reclining Nude Needlepoint-

8. random crazy:

9. The 100 year old doll with painted face and victorian bloomers and shredded goth dress

10. the darling mirror

** There are also the BIG RED store Wardrobe cases!!

Afterwards we all went out to Monterey Park to eat spicy Chinese food. I collapsed shortly after.

January 12, 2008

In the past three weeks I have uncovered 5 of my buried organizing books on /FENG SUI /DECLUTTER and PREVENTING Procrastination. I don't even remember buying them on amazon, but know I probably did.

I have been busy reading them nightly and attempting to process the information in order to gear up for my big home and mind transformation.

The first room is always the hardest, so I started super small and conquered the bathroom

For those of you lucky folks here in L.A.-- I am also dragging these 8 years of clutter over to the ROSE BOWL this Sunday. The Rose Bowl for you novices- is like a visual EXPLOSION over in Pasadena. Aisles and AISLES of amazing LOOT. Sure, you might remember me doing this event in the past, but that was nothing compared to this time. I am digging deep and selling everything that I do not "need".

That's a strong word, and pretty much means I should eliminate a lot of furniture, accessories, books, pictures, dolls, jewelry, supplies straight away. I figure if I am gonna drag myself out of a warm slumber-at 4:30 a.m... I BETTER really mean business.

I am also selling off a lot of SHOW PONY DISPLAYS- so if anyone wants first dibbs on those ruby red wardrobes from the shop or that gigantic white wrought iron QUEEN chair-- hit me up online.

We have lots of cool mirrors that are going and some pretty art deco 30's style rugs.

DON'T MISS IT- you will have big regrets

Top 5 things you are gonna wish you scooped up from my Rose Bowl Booth:

1. the indian headress from my about me picture on this blog- baby blue feathers- wow
2. The majestic wrought iron QUEEN chair-
3. My victorian and flapper gear- never before on the market- fringe and crisp white lace slips
4. Various ARTwork from my personal collection and from other artists
5. Countless exciting pieces of furniture- including store displays and mirrors

THE ROSE BOWL sunday all day.
If I can get up at 4:30 a.m. and make it there- you can sleep in and come visit me later

My lovely friend and fellow Scorpio blogger Amy Lou has just tagged me online. Because I am sitting watching my cat slowly fight falling asleep on my pillow, and L.A. is exceptionally sunny and warm for this time of year, and my window is wide open and I love my apartment and the free time my occupation? allows me- I will do my best to do her justice with my answers:
First off- when you are tagged by a fellow blogger- you must site the rules of the game:
and link up to the tagger.

For those of you who have never had the pleasure of meeting Amy Lou in person, let me give you the rundown

1.) she has eyes more radiant and blue than any you will ever see- a color reminiscent of rare ocean waters- perhaps she was the one that Jon Erik Hexum donated his eyes to when he died?
2. She is fiercely loyal and dedicated to absolute unconditional love with her pals
3. She will make a mental note of anything you mention and annonymously mail you a care package with a book, or c.d. or shirt she thinks you would like
4. She can knit the most unique scarves and things
5. She knows more about things than you, like who is a good doctor, where to get your pants hemmed, news stories etc...
6. She plants a mean garden
7. She has an amazing creative and lovely family.
8. She just survived living in a haunted house!
9. Her cooking skills are amazing
10. She can talk me under the table, which is a nearly impossible task

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

The FACTS about me:

1. First the weird: I was born without a tendon in my pinky finger on the right hand, so my pinky is always bent. I heard Einstein had both his pinkies like that, hmm Just sayin'. When I was younger one of my boyfriends refused to hold that hand, he said it freaked him out. My harp teacher in the 6th grade said it made me have the perfect hand gesture for playing.

2. I broke my back in the 3rd grade sled riding. Some boys built a 4-5 ft high ramp in the local park down a steep hill. They dared me or my friend to try it first. I took the dare and flew over the ramp- airborne- and landed with the wind knocked out of me. My parents didn't take me to the hospital til day 3, where they were informed that I had broken 2 vertebrates and fractured one and was nearly paralyzed. I stayed in the hospital for over 3 weeks.

3. I have an obsession with magazines. I have always loved looking at them, saving them, cutting things out of them, and the covers. I especially loved the original Interview matte paper excessively large covers, of Francesco Clemente, Isabella Rossellini etc... I also love to find painting inspiration in foreign HOME magazines. Often when I see a good wallpaper or painted gate, I think of compositional qualities for backgrounds.

4. I hate returning phone calls. I don't like sitting still on the phone and must pace around my apt. My mother had a similar affliction and would write "THE END" over and over and over on mail left on the kitchen counter. I don't like confrontations either.

5. I started a t-shirt design business out of my parents garage at age 8. I used to make these drawings on iron-on transfer paper. I would take orders and then use the tshirts from my papa's bank to print them on. I was also way into peeling crayons into RORSCHACH like patterns and then placing a piece of paper over them and ironing them to make pretty prints. I have the iron scar on my knee to prove this.
My moment of failure came when I drew a word in rainbow print only to have it come out backwards on the shirt.

BONUS ** and now for the TOP 5 things that really bum me out: (Besides Bush in office and War- and the situation in New Orleans...and the obvious)

1. MAYO- Ick! Probably the ony person from the midwest who despises the condiment
2. people who put cigarette butts in glasses with liquids still in them
3. People who walk really slow in front of me
4. silverfish- those creepy fast slippery lil greyish bugs that lunch on paper and silk
5. VEINS. Can't stand the sight of them. Can't give blood, can barely stand a blood pressure test

January 10, 2008

The latest fashion inspiration hails from Italy, ah bella bellisima
Notice that I am Italian and yet so lacking the lingo. Mr. Tim Walker (my favorite photographer) has once again snapped a spread that oozes pastel pretty.

Here's a sneak peak at the new Italia VOGUE 08 Tim Walker spread
titled A MAGIC WORLD

The latest issue of TOKION Japan has a cool vinyl cover featuring JUN TAKAHASHI from UnderCover fashion label. The magazine has an awesome heavy matte paper spread on LOS ANGELES too. Lucky for me, my art and shop were featured in it, along with the DUB LAB guys and the HIT N RUN silkscreening crew, B+ the photographer, Carlos Nino & Mia Doi Todd, POO Bah Records, and Andrew Lojero.

me in a picture with the interviewer and the cute photographer Akiko Bharoocha

here's some of her colorful photos she snapped of me and my work

The cover shows the great art by JUN TAKAHASHI, an artist/designer who is known for his unique and punk aesthetic in the fashion world and now it seems his strange taxidermy like specimen installations. The work is reminiscent of French artist Annette Messager, although a little less sweet. Often the work is displayed in bell jars or in giant glass enclosed cases (like store windows)

A writer for the New York Times mentioned visiting the studio of Jun Takahashi. "I found Jun in a large loft-like room where the spreading limbs of a tree trunk occupy one corner. It would be an amazing place to think and work. There were three desks with Macs along one wall, a bank of d.j. equipment at the other end, and in the center was a long white, glass-topped table with partitions lined in silver glitter paper. Jun, who had on a black leather jacket and jeans, is somewhat shy but very friendly and conversational. We talked for awhile about Kawakubo and Comme des Garcons, and when I mentioned how much I liked his winter collection, for its clarity, he smiled and said he thought maybe his work was becoming recognizable. He spoke about the difficulties of satisfying his own desire to make interesting things and keeping up with the six-month cycle of the fashion shows, and said he sometimes thinks about focusing on his stores (he has 30 in Japan) and skipping the Paris collections altogether. I said I hope he doesn’t stop showing in Paris but that I understood his desire to break a pattern. I don’t think he’s really decided anything but at least he has the freedom (and courage) to question what he’s doing—and why. "

There is a 5 page spread on out-there writer/director HARMONY KORINE too. But hey, I don't know Japanese so I can't read a thing!

here's some older fashion pics of JUN's crazy fashion shows- remember my previous 2006 post- where I commented that his outfits are perfect for that BAD DAY look- no one can see you and you can go out annonymously. GEEZ...where has Jun been when Ms. Spears needed to avoid the press?

January 09, 2008

Madame Fortuna is stirring up a whole new batch of bewitching necklaces. Of course they all have that mystic appeal that can save any outfit from the drab depths. Every one created like a precious heirloom located behind a magic door or pulled from the secret hiding spot in an old mystery book.

You deserve it, you survived the holidays and gave better than your probably received. Do yourself a favor and make everyone around you envious. I think it may be a great way to jumpstart some excitement in your new year. PLUS if you purchase something from her ***“STORYVILLE”*** collection it benefits New Orleans!
"The Storyville collection is inspired by the neighborhood of the same name in New Orleans (1897-1917) and by the photographs taken of it’s inhabitants by Ernest J. Bellocq. A “legal” red light district, it was populated with endless colorful characters. Bellocq created a visual history by photographing the prostitutes of the district... and in many of the portraits a locket rests prominately on the chest. This collection combines elements antique and new for a modern twist on old fashioned fun. Each locket is named after an especially notable lady or location. The fleur de lis (flower of the lily) is a symbol of New Orleans. PERFECT FOR VALENTINE'S DAY!"

A portion of the sales from the Storyville Collection will be donated to two New Orleans charities:
Renew Our Music www.renewourmusic.org
Kidsmart www.kidsmart.org

Mari Kubota, a member of Osaka based art project digmeout makes mysterious cuteness. Her swirling dollybirds are painted in dreamy gouches and watered down paints. Just goes to prove my theory that all seriously cute (Kawaiiii) things are created in Japan. If you purchase a matchbook, every tiny match head will be a cute smiley face, if you get a plastic bag with dishwashing gloves the packaging will feature darling animal faces happy to clean.
Mari was interviewed by Ping Mag and revealed some of her inspirations and secrets.

"When or where does inspiration hit you mostly?"

Often when somebody tells me off and makes me feel down, I start painting. There is something about the act of painting that comforts me and somehow cools me off. Also, the ideas sometimes come from dreams I have at night or memories. I’m sure you have experienced something impressive, such as scenery you saw as kid, reappear in your dreams, haven’t you?

January 08, 2008

Be a pretty flapper, and get fancy in accessories and dresses by label BOUDOIR QUEEN.
The label's designer is Dawn Younger Smith who has worked as a model/muse and make~up artist to many celebrity clients. I stumbled upon her etsy site: BoudoirQueen.etsy.com
and found a lot of her feathered hats and 20's inspired pieces to be great for the perfect wild dance performance at the speakeasy

I'm from the heartland. No seriously, the back of the auto license plates actually declare OHIO:the Heart of it All. It's nice to be from someplace that has underdog appeal. I remember in high school we took a vacation to North Carolina and some local teens asked where we were from, & when I said, " OHIO ", one of them muttered, "Isn't that where they grow potatoes?"
Um, no. Well maybe, but God knows I never saw a farm in my John Hughes suburb. Just Valley Girls, jocks, Dunkin Donuts and an occasional mini mall.
I always think someday it may be nice to venture back and find a school house or a farm and set up a craft camp or gigantic painting barn and a ceramics kiln. I could make teepee forts and smash vintage china plates and mosaic everything in mirrors.
I recently stumbled onto a website for designer/crafter Amy Butler. She makes patterns, purses, homewares and just happens to be living back in her homeland OHIO.
Her place and space will inspire envy. You know you can actually buy a home in Ohio. For the same price as a shed on a scrap hill the size of a postage stamp in L.A., you can acquire 6 acres and a 4 bedroom dream house in OHIO. Hey, you can even have a creek with a lil bridge!

Amy actually states on her website: "David and I moved back to Ohio (my home) in 1992 and started our little Art of the Midwest studio with two cats and about $1,200. Time was spent chopping wood for the 150-year-old cabin/house that we had rented on 190 acres of rural farmland, tending chores, and making art. I started creating surface designs for a friend who went into business as a design rep. in NYC. This I did at night mostly. We loved it."

for more details on how to get her books, her patterns or her products go here:AMYBUTLER

For those loyal MOLDY DOILY readers, you may recall awhile back when I posted on the passing of genius illustrator and master craftsman Bjorn Wiinblad. The artist known for his decorative ceramics and magically characters has always been a favorite among collectors. To catch my previous post on him go here:R.I.P.Mr Whimsy

Now some of his pieces are available on ebay at this shop. You can see his crazy plates and colorful posters:

Acccording to the ebay shop's Bio and those unfamiliar with the artist-
"Apparently, multi-artist Bjørn Wiinblad is gifted with a sparkling fantasy putting him in the position to create exuberant masterpieces of ceramics, which during the years have enthused people across the globe. There is no doubt about his significant position within the decorative art and craftwork. His design is strongly personal and often has a touch of Oriental inspiration.

In 1998, when Bjørn Wiinblad celebrated his 80 birthday, the exhibition place Sophienholm in Lyngby north of the Danish capital Copenhagen dedicated a special exhibition to his works through time. For the exhibition a catalogue with text written by Bjørn Wiinblad himself was published.

A peculiar tradition in Wiinblad’s family was that the youngsters usually got an education as typesetter, only to find out which line of business they would actually choose later in life. 17 years old Wiinblad followed this tradition and became a typesetters apprentice in 1935. Luckily he left this path as a technical composer of newspaper pages and became an artist.

To become a designer was a natural choice for Bjørn Wiinblad who already as a child was renowned for his creative mind. Before Christmas he was always busy drawing, painting, cutting and pasting astonishing gifts for friends and family.

Apparently, his calling is to create designs that makes the world a little bit more beautiful, a little more inspiring, a little more funny and often much more colourful. In doing so, he works in many different areas, for example with ceramics, porcelain, glass, posters, decoration for the theatres as well as textiles. In his own words, working with many different kinds of art is “a permanent search for the uncertain – to be a beginner – so that I must exert myself to meet the requirements of the different tasks”. This shall be seen contrary to the artists seeking perfection in one specific area.

As a fresh educated typesetter Bjørn Wiinblad joined the school of graphics at the Academy of Art with the aim to become an illustrator. A coincidental meeting with a fellow student changed this plan. The student took Wiinblad to a ceramics workshop where he was invited to decorate a newly thrown clay bowl. “I never forget the moment, I took the cow's horn in my hand and started to decorate – it was big and fortunate moment. When I left the workshop, I knew that I had experienced something special”, Bjørn Wiinblad writes in the above mentioned catalogue.

At this time, his preferred work became the decoration of large bowls with cow horn paint, where after pottery tradition clay colour was applied directly on the potsherd.

This was followed by an ambivalent period where Bjørn Wiinblad tried to continue his graphical studies and simultaneously by all means tried to work with ceramics. He was happy when he got the opportunity to work solely on his own projects at the workshop of ceramist Lars Syberg in Tåstrup near Copenhagen.

In 1945 Bjørn Wiinblad for the first time exhibited his works to the public. The exhibition consisted of ceramics, naturalistic portraits, children's books that he both illustrated and wrote including a complete illustrated edition of Aladdin. In retroperspect this was an important turning point for his future career. In this frame he became acquainted with Jacob E. Bang, who just had been promoted to art director of the faience factory Nymølle. This was Wiinblad’s first contact with industry and also the beginning of a “fortunate collaboration”. .

At Nymølle Wiinblad made the finest pen drawings, which was copied to the production by in general monochrome copper engraving. This was a low-cost decoration technique, and items from this period can be found in almost every danish family.

In 1957 Bjørn Wiinblad was discovered by Philip Rosenthal, who was looking for new designs for the Rosenthal factory in Germany. He invited Wiinblad to Germany, which was the beginning of a collaboration that in Wiinblald's own words became "the most important and fortunate in my life”.

For all of those Doily lovers, this crotchet project will stir excitement:
In 2003 Margaret and Christine Wertheim—twin sisters from Queensland, Australia formed IFF a group “dedicated to the poetic and aesthetic dimensions of science, mathematics and the technical arts.” It organizes exhibits and lectures (recent talks were on “the mathematics of paper folding” and “the physics of snowflakes”) around LA, where Margaret, a science writer, and Christine, a professor of critical studies at CalArts, are now based. In 2005 Margaret Wertheim heard about a breakthrough in geometry involving crochet; the sisters immediately wanted to make an IFF project out of it.

“We could crochet a coral reef,” Christine had mused, pointedly using the conditional tense while the woolly forms piled higher on our sideboard. We innocently put an announcement on the Institute For Figuring website seeking crafters to join us in this potential hyperbolic undertaking. From around the globe pictures started to arrive by email, then packages in the post. Helen Bernasconi, a former mathematics teacher and computer scientist, now sheep farmer in Bonnie Doon, Australia, sent in a fan-like form budding with hyperbolic curlicues made from wool she had sheared from her sheep, then spun and dyed herself. A Hungarian graphics designer in Liverpool, England, Ildiko Szabo, posted a shoebox of pastel-colored anemones. Heather McCarren, a PhD candidate in geoscience, mailed in a collection of tiny mercerized cotton florets. The tectonic plates of our continent shifted when Vonda McIntyre, the author of a novel about Louis XIV’s encounter with a sea monster, emailed photographs of her beaded jellyfish and flatworms.

Hooked now, we began trawling on Flickr and discovered Helle Jorgensen, a former research geneticist, who had given up academic science for a life of handicraft and beachcombing; Helle was crocheting sea creatures from plastic bags. A net search revealed that we were not the only ones hand-making coral. In the Australian town of Bendigo, Marianne Midelburg had already crocheted her own reef from yarns scavenged in thrift stores and junkyards; in Vienna, Petra Maitz was presiding over the “Lady Musgrave Reef”; in the 1960’s, Helen Lancaster had preceded us all with her appliquéd “Coral Forest.”

Each of these new outcrops realizes potentialities we had not even guessed at. In Rialto, CA, Shari Porter crochets hyperbolic forms guided by the Holy Spirit; latter day versions of the Shakers’ “gift drawings.” In Boston, Rebecca Peapples makes miniature marvels of beaded Byzantine splendor, while in Cedar Hill, Texas, Evelyn Hardin crafts a steady stream of woolly mutants seemingly coughed up from the stomach of some bilious leviathan.

Every person who takes up this craft creates new species of crochet organisms and we have come to see the project as a collective experiment in textile-based evolution. Just as all living creatures result from variations in an underlying DNA code, so the species in these handi-crafted reefs arise from deviations in a single simple algorithm. Slight variations in the kind of yarn, changes in the rate of increasing stitches, even shifts in crochet tension make significant differences to the morphology of the finished form. Sarah Simons in Culver City has invented an entire taxonomy of “radiolarians” by combining the insights of hyperbolic crochet with traditional doilies patterns.

HYPERBOLIC CROCHET was itself the outgrowth of an unexpected branch of geometry. For two thousand years mathematicians attempted to prove that the only possible geometries were the flat, or Euclidean, plane, and the sphere. Great minds expended themselves on the effort, only to discover in the nineteenth century that a third option was logically necessitated. The discovery of this new “hyperbolic space” ushered in the field of non-Euclidean geometry, the mathematics underpinning general relativity, which aims to describe the shape of the cosmos. Mathematicians’ skepticism about hyperbolic space had been based in part on their inability to imagine how it would look, for they had no way to model it physically. Most were thus astounded when, in 1997, Dr. Daina Taimina, a Latvian émigré at Cornell University, presented a hyperbolic structure made with crochet.

Nature, meanwhile, had discovered the form in the Silurian age. Lettuces and kales - the crenellated vegetables - are manifestations of nearly hyperbolic surfaces, while in the oceans, corals, kelps, sponges, nudibranchs and flatworms all exhibit hyperbolic anatomical features. And so a woolly manifestation of a reef is not as unlikely as may first be supposed. Through the lens of crochet we may thus discern a hitherto unsuspected line connecting Euclid to sea slugs. Ways of constructing once perceived as “merely” women’s craft, and dismissed from the cannon of scientific practice, now emerge as revelatory forms of a more complex, embodied way of thinking about the world both mathematically and physically.

“EVERTHING has been created out of sea-mucous, for love arises from the foam” wrote the German polymath Lorenz Oken in his Elements of Physiophilosophy, a poetico-scientific account of evolutionary processes that preceded Darwin by nearly half a century. From simple mucul protoplasts, Oken imagined the spectrum of life unfolding over the eons. Coral reefs, too, are generated from protoplasmal seeds: On a single night, timed to the cycles of sun and moon, whole sections of reef release gametes into the water in a mass-synchronized spawning ritual. These spectacular displays allow sessile coral polyps, which cannot move themselves to disperse offspring over vast distances. So too crochet reefs send out spawns. Starting from an initial garden of anemones and kelp, the IFF and our contributors have now produced a variety of different sub-reefs, while other crafters have been inspired to their own fully formed wonders: among them, the mysterious Dr Axt in Portland, Inga Hamilton in Belfast, and Barbara Wertheim in Melbourne. The Chicago Reef exhibited here is a magnificent result of this spawning, a communal triumph created by more than a hundred Windy City women, who have each, as it were, inhaled a hyperbolic spore.

But this collective celebration is motivated also by an ecological urgency, for coral is being devastated by global warming, agricultural run-off, urban effluent and marine pollutants. 3000 square kilometers of living reef are lost every year, nearly five times the rate of rainforest elimination. Ironically, as reefs disappear a sinister substitute is growing beneath the waves: In the north Pacific ocean the world’s plastic garbage is accumulating, fifty years of plastic trash building into a vortex twice the size of Texas and 30 meters deep. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, as it is known, is a ghastly analog to the Great Barrier Reef, an aquatic “wonder” of appalling dimensions that continues to accrete. To highlight this monstrosity and our own role in its making, the latest spawn of the IFF is a toxic reef called Bikini Atoll - a hybrid assemblage made from yarn and plastic garbage. Our challenge for the future – and the reason we have chosen to exhibit this work– is to help raise awareness of this plastic problem, an ecological cancer whose stain will mar our planet’s face for geological time.

January 07, 2008

The folks over at Gen ART have reminded me that I need to purchase the massive 420 page book featuring the art of Charley Harper. While I was in Miami for the Basel show, Marsea introduced me to renowned designer Todd Oldham, who helped create this collaborative book. AMMO Books is honored to present this beautiful large format title as the definitive monograph of artist Charley Harper’s six decade long career. Todd Oldham rediscovered Charley’s work in 2001, and collaborated closely with him, combing through his extensive archive to edit and design this stunning AMMO Books release.

The AMMO site states:

"Charley Harper is an American original who created his art from his home studio in Cincinnati, Ohio - until his death on June 10, 2007 at the age of 84. He is beloved for his delightful, graphic and often humorous illustrations of nature, animals, insects and people alike. Charley liked to say, that when he paints a bird, he doesn’t count all the feathers in the wings – he just counts the wings. Minimal realism, he called it, and his unique and precise style continues to resonate and inspire his admirers.

Charley Harper - An Illustrated Life, showcases his illustrations that appeared from 1950-1975 in the Ford Times magazines, as well as in books such as the beloved “The Giant Golden Book of Biology” in 1961, “Betty Crocker’s Dinner for Two” in 1961, and “ The Animal Kingdom” in 1968, among many others. His well loved book “Birds and Words”, first published in 1974, is considered a classic. Remarkably, however, Charley’s work has never before been published in one complete retrospective. Accordingly, this massive volume is the definitive Charley Harper book to have on your bookshelf!

Bringing his legacy to a wider audience, AMMO Books offers Charley Harper – An Illustrated Life, as a large format standard book, or as a luxurious limited edition that was personally signed by Charley Harper and Todd Oldham."

Back home in Cinti, Ohio Dec 8th was declared
CHARLEY HARPER DAY: BY MAYORAL PROCLAMATION

January 06, 2008

I have been super busy destroying my apartment and trying to find it's hidden Feng Sui. It has been a real effort on my part to avoid the computer and my endless hours of googling and posting and searching.

In the past few days I have tossed bags and bags of unused fabrics, trims, big eyed paintings, clothes, strange dolls, and other random riff raff into a donation pile. I have also parted with shelves, chairs, tables and old doors. I am going to start this year off right if it kills me.
I have lived in this old 1930's building since 1999, and have acquired a lot of "precious" things. Unfortunately when you don't move from place to place, your stone starts to gather a little moss. In my case the stone is wedged in and in need of a home makeover emergency. I promise to document the progress here. Sure, you folks have witnessed countless attempts on my part to creatively organize, but the truth is you have to part ways with a lot more stuff.

Most important things in my life: my books. I could do without most of the knick knacks and clothes, but I love staring at my packed book shelves. Neatly categorized by subjects, WOMEN ARTISTS, CRAFTS/MACRAME, MUSIC etc...This Christmas my dear friend Fran gave me some cool Rizzolli art books one on the BEAUTY in art and the other on the UGLY subject matter portrayed in art. I also got two great books from my friend Adam. He got me this great one on TRENCH COATS which documents all of the great style icons who have rocked the trench. He also gave me this book called THE BEAUTIFUL FALL: Fashion, Genius, and Glorious Excess in 1970's Paris. I can't wait to get the scoop on YSL and Karl Lagerfeld!
Just listen to the back cover summary:

"In the 1970's, Paris fashion exploded like a champagne bottle left out in the sun. Amid sequins and longing, celebrities and aspirants flocked to the heart of chic, and Paris became a hothouse of revelry, intrigue, and searing ambition. At the center of it all were Fashion's most beloved luminaries-Yves Saint Laurent, the reclusive enfant terrible, and Karl Lagerfeld, the flamboyant freelancer with a talent for reinvention-and they divided Paris into two fabulous halves. Their enduring rivalry is chronicled in this dazzling expose of an era of social ambitions, shared obsessions and the mesmerizing quest for beauty."

My favorite new coffee table book came into my hands from Cynthia. She surprised me with an AMAZING book titled FANTASY WORLDS. The book is like a mind melt brain explosion of outsider and folk genius places documented from a dream. My fav. NIKI de ST. Phalle is featured twice in the book as it depicts spaces that are created by wild artists with whimsical ways.

She bought herself a Xmas gift/book titled Sublime Spaces and Visionary Worlds. I of course had to find it on amazon minutes later for myself. IT's a breathtaking book with 416 pages of colorful goodness that is described online as such:

"This colorful and inspiring book features the work of twenty-two vernacular artists whose locales, personal histories, and reasons for art-making vary widely but who all share a powerful connection to the home as art. Featured projects range from art environments that remain intact, such as Simon Rodia's Watts Towers in California, to sites lost over the years such as Emery Blagdon's six hundred elaborate "Healing Machines," made of copper, aluminum, tinfoil, magnets, ribbons, farm-machinery parts, painted light bulbs, beads, coffee-can lids, and more.
Sublime Spaces and Visionary Worlds is the first book to explore these spectacularly offbeat spaces in detail. From "Original Rhinestone Cowboy" Loy Bowlin's wall-to-wall glitter-and-foil living room to the concrete bestiary of "witch of Fox Point" Mary Nohl, each artist and project is described in detail through a wealth of visuals and text. The need to personalize our surroundings is a defining human characteristic. For some this need becomes a compulsion to transform their personal surroundings into works of art. "

Other books you may consider adding to your own shelves:

1. If you love couture details and lush museum quality photos of dresses dating back to the 20's...the massive LANVIN coffee table book is worth the weight. The book features the designs of Jeanne Lanvin and also mentions how the new creative director Alber Elbaz is attempting to preserve this fashion house.

2. If you admire children's books and the people who illustrate them- check out PLAY PEN

3. This one will make VIV salivate: Silent Movies: The Birth of Film to the Triumph of Movie Culture
Peter Kobel
"Lavishly illustrated by the Library of Congress's extensive collection of posters, paper prints, film stills and other memorabilia, most of which has never been in print, SILENT MOVIES will take its place as the defining work on this most important and fascinating aspect of American culture."

4. I bought Mr. P this book for night time reading: The Year of Living Biblically. A funny book about one man's quest to live the ultimate biblical life. To follow every single rule in the Bible – as literally as possible. obey the famous ones:
The Ten Commandments
Love thy neighbor
Be fruitful and multiply

But also, the hundreds of oft-ignored ones.

Do not wear clothes of mixed fibers.
Do not shave your beard
Stone adulterers

the author described his reason why...
"Why? Well, I grew up in a very secular home (I’m officially Jewish but I’m Jewish in the same way the Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant). "

5. This cool book features various FONTS that are handmade-- HAND JOB: A Catalog of Type (Paperback)
by Michael Perry (Author)

January 03, 2008

It's taken me this long to recover. The last day of 2007, I helped move a piano onto a balcony. On an empty stomach I prepared party trays and hung colorful lights from trees. Then without much primping, it was New Year's Eve, and I had spoken to no one about my plans. I had forgotten how fast time passes. I had a few glasses of champagne and watched an empty house take on way too much energy. I also took in the best 365 degree view of Los Angeles. I spent most of the night wandering around people watching.

This entire week had been spent trying to complete tasks and rid myself of the riff raff in my life. I had plotted out my new method of organizing, and was all set to step into 2008 prepared.
I had my daily organizer, the shelves cleared and the reference books to set me off in the right direction.

So, Jan 1, came and went. I spent it cuddled up in my bed with my cat. Unable to move forward, and yet contemplating the many moments of the past year. It was a rough one, but patched up with positivity.
This new year ahead is gonna be good. I can feel it. I'm not going to make any new year resolutions, but rather just embark on the DOING it part. As my friend Cynthia said, "who needs to sit around and talk about what you're gonna change or start doing..." just get busy and start now.
I must apologize for my delay in posting the past few days...& confess that I've been pre-occupied watching my cat pose on my clean vanity. He sits there like a sphinx cat, paws curled under staring at his own reflection and occasionally out the window. His cuteness overwhelms me

The line to the restroom

look who welcomed their new year's day in a serious love hug
Kutmah and his buddy Georgie Boy

Tonight we had a celebration supper for surviving the wrath of the new year's party.